A weekend in Cannes with an attaché to the stars

Gilles Bastoni is Cannes' celebrity concierge. Here is his tailor-made list for a sublime Cannes getaway – from luxurious star-studded venues to escapes at sea.

Every May since 1946, the red carpet has been rolled out onto Cannes' palm-lined boulevards for its International Film Festival, turning the French Riviera resort city into a playground for silver screen stars.

Much like the celebrities it attracts, Cannes isn't camera shy: it's a postcard-perfect town bursting with fuchsia bougainvillea and resplendent ivory-hued facades. And as its palatial grand hotels show, the town has been a magnet for the elite long before the dawn of film – prior to entertaining Hollywood royalty, it was the haunt of European nobility.

The 2025 edition of the Film Festival, taking place 13-24 May, will bring a set of well-known A-listers, from Tom Cruise to Robert De Niro, who will recceive the Honorary Palme d'Or for Lifetime Achievement. But you don't need to be of blue blood or billed in a Hollywood blockbuster to enjoy a VIP experience in this jewel-like Côte d'Azur holiday town.

We spoke to Gilles Bastoni, the Cannes born-and-bred head concierge of the city's iconic, five-star Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic, which is opposite the main venue of the Film Festival and hosts its main VIPs.

Known as the "concierge of the stars", Bastoni was raised on Cannes' glam. "My father was head concierge of Le Majestic," he says. "You could say I was nearly born in the hotel."

As Cannes' celebrity concierge, Bastoni knows a thing or two about demanding clients – and going the extra mile to fulfil their needs.

"As a concierge, you always have to be on top of things," he says. "You have to change things again and again, to answer all guests' requests and satisfy them. One time, one celebrity guest forgot their dress in Paris and we had to go pick it up. Another time, we had a very big celebrity who wanted to have a birthday party for their spouse on the boat, and when things didn't work, we needed to find a backup." The outcome? "They became a confidante in the end."

Here are Bastoni's A-list ways to experience Cannes in its full beauty, whether or not you have an invite to the Film Festival.

Few places better encapsulate the cinematic grandeur of Cannes than its seafront promenade: La Croisette.

"La Croisette is incredible," Bastoni says, barely able to contain his enthusiasm. "It's 1km long, full of luxurious brands, beaches and hotels. There aren't many places in the world where you can find such a concentration of luxury."

Designed in the 19th Century by a British aristocrat, La Croisette is a masterclass of Art Nouveau architecture, with its row of grand hotels — from Bastoni's own Majestic to the JW Marriott, Carlton Cannes and window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'alternating-thumbnails-a', container: 'taboola-below-article', placement: 'Below Article', target_type: 'mix' });